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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  2. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  3. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  4. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  5. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  6. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  7. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  8. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  9. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  10. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  11. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  12. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  13. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  14. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  15. The ________________ took off on time.
  16. The tickets are free of ________________.
  17. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  18. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  19. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  20. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  21. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  22. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  23. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  24. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. drill — army training
  2. plane — a tool
  3. content — videos and posts
  4. firm — a company
  5. charge — electricity
  6. drill — the tool
  7. fan — to cool the air
  8. content — the amount
  9. squash — to crush
  10. firm — decided
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. content — happy
  13. drill — a practice
  14. squash — the vegetable
  15. plane — an aircraft
  16. charge — a price
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. charge — in control
  19. lean — thin
  20. firm — steady
  21. plane — in geometry
  22. lean — to rest against
  23. squash — the sport
  24. lean — to bend

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com